Within You: A Labyrinth Story
by AuroraBorealis
Summary: A story full of interesting twists and turns


"Within You"

Prologue

  
"Shh," a man says as he gently rocks a little baby girl.   
"I'm so sorry I have to do this to you. You mean more to me than anything in the world. I just can't keep you. I hope you will forgive me someday."   
The man looks quietly at the baby. She has all his features; pale skin, light blue eyes, blond hair. Looking out into the darkness of the night, he sighs.  
" I guess it's now or never." He says as he gently places the child in a basket. He then sets her on the steps of the city's orphanage. Quietly, he leans down and kisses the child on its forehead. Shoving back a tear, he turns around and vanishes into thin air.

  
Chapter One

  
"Damn you!" Crystal says as she watches her little brother smash her treasured statue.  
"You deserved it, you annoying female dog." He hisses.  
"Why don't you just call me a bitch? Or are you too scared to?"   
"FINE! You bitch!"  
"What if mom knew you used this kind of language, Justin? Then what would you be saying?"  
"She's not your mom! You're real parents ditched you. I wonder why?" Justin says sarcastically.  
"I hate you!" Crystal bellows. She runs out of the room and down the stairs. As she reaches the kitchen door, her step-mother confronts her.  
"What's all the racket?"  
"Justin's being a brat."  
"Cut him some slack; he's only twelve."  
"Cut him slack?! You don't even know what he does to me! You don't even give a damn!"  
"Don't you use that language with me!" Her step-mother says sternly. Crystal gives her a rude look and rushes out the door.  
"Where are you going?!" Her mom says.  
"I don't know. Bye." Crystal says, slamming the door behind her.   
She runs our to her car and speeds off. For three hours, she cruises around town, pondering her miserable life. When she was one year old, her real parents had left her in an orphanage, not being able to take care of her. Throughout her childhood, she had been placed in the care of many foster families. When she was around ten years old, her current family, the Warrens, decided to adopt her. Now 19 years old, she still lives with them. When not attending a local community college, Crystal hangs around her room, looking through old books that she had received from the orphanage she had been in. Most of these books were fantasy books. Crystal spends hours at a time in her room, just reading these books. Besides doing this, she visits the few friends that she has managed to make at college.   
After she returns home, she's greeted by and angry mom.  
"Where have you been the past three hours?! Don't you know what time it is?!"  
"Sorry." Crystal mumbles and she runs up to her room. When she opens the door, she sees a shocking sight. She lets out a scream,  
"JUSTIN!!!"  
Justin comes running merrily.  
"Why in the hell were you in my room?!"  
"Just looking. You sure have a lot of interesting things. What's with all the mythical stuff, thought?"  
"Nothing…it's none of your business-."  
"Hehe…sure." He chuckles. His face suddenly becomes serious. "You know…that Labyrinth book sure caught my attention. I could wish you away, you know…"  
"Give me a break." Crystal sneers.  
"I guess you don't believe me. Okay, I guess I'll just have to prove it to you."  
Crystal glares at Justin. He beings to recite some words.  
"I wish those goblin people would come take you away…"  
"You're so pathetic…"  
"Right now."  
Crystal stands with her eyes wide open. She sees Justin run down the hall to his room. He slams the door behind him. She sees a multitude of colors…then everything goes black.

Chapter 2

  
"Sire!! Sire!!" A short man says to another man sitting in a chair.  
"What is it now?" The king says under his breath.  
"King Jareth, a girl has landed out beyond the gates…someone has wished her to come here."  
"What?! Make sure she stays where she is…I must go greet her."  
"Yes, my Lord."  
Jareth runs to his window and looks out on the horizon. He sees the gates to his kingdom in the distance. He braces himself and then vanishes into thin air.  
Meanwhile, Crystal is in a state of confusion. She looks up and sees a massive gate looming in front of her. She slowly gets up from the ground and looks around. What she sees shocks her. She is in a place that resembles a countryside. She runs up a hill and looks far into the distance. She sees a massive maze of sorts. At the center of the maze she sees a huge, more modern-looking city. She puts her hand to her head.  
"This must be a dream." She says to herself.   
She pinches herself and realizes that she is fully awake.   
"I must have eaten something. Maybe I'm hallucinating."  
She walks on down to the gate. As she tries to open it, a small shock of electricity sends her to the ground.  
"What kind of place is this?!" She yells loudly.  
"The kind of place where dreams come true." A masculine voice says behind her.  
Crystal slowly turns her head and sees a tall man looking down at her.  
"Who are you?" She asks.  
"I am Jareth, the leader of this pathetic world. And who might you be?"  
"I'm Crystal."  
"Crystal…such a beautiful name for such a beautiful girl." Jareth says with a smirk.  
"Don't you even start with me. All I want to know is how to get out of here."  
Jareth frowns.  
"Well then. All you have to do is find the magic door in the center of my castle in that city." He says pointing to the city in the distance.  
"That doesn't sound hard. It may take me a while, but I'll make it."  
"You don't have a while."   
"What? You mean I'm being timed!"  
"You have 36 hours in which to find the door." He states matter-of-factly.  
"And if I don't make it in 36 hours?"  
"You'll suffer the consequences." Jareth says with an evil smile.  
"Well, I better get going then."  
"I guess so. I'll be watching you."  
With those words, Jareth vanishes. The gates to the kingdom open slowly and Crystal rushes in. She looks in all directions, pondering which way to go. Finally, she walks straight ahead and embarks on her long journey.

Chapter 3

  
As soon as Jareth returns to his castle, he looks into one of his crystal balls. He sees the distraught face of Crystal. He gazes at the ball harder. He remembers a time in the past when he had looked into eyes like Crystals. An odd notion overcomes him. As soon as he thinks about it, the notion disappears and Jareth throws the crystal into the air where it vanishes. Then he returns to his duties as king.  
**********************************************************  
Three hours after she has begun on the perilous journey, Crystal finds herself back to where she had begun.   
"Why can't he give me a break?!" She growls as she plops herself against a rock.  
"Jared never gives anyone breaks." A voice says over her shoulder.  
Crystal turns around and sees a handsome young man looking down at her. Blushing, she asks,  
"Who are you?"  
"My name is Reeves. And who might you be?"  
"I'm Crystal."  
"So, why are you being forced to find your way to the door?"  
"My stupid step-brother wished me away."  
"You're the first person to be here in ages. The last time someone landed here was over ten years ago!"  
"I wonder why?" Crystal says sarcastically as she picks herself up from the ground.  
"Anyway. It looks as though you could use some help."  
"You can say that. I've been trying to get through this maze for three hours and I've only ended back at the beginning."  
"I'll help you then. I know some shortcuts around here. Just don't let Jareth catch me helping you…he can get really angry."  
"Okay. Let's get going then…I only have 33 more hours left."  
"Okay. Follow me."  
Crystal and Reeves scout their way through the never ending maze. The walk through forests, plains, and by oceans. As they traverse, they get to know each other better.  
"What do you do here in this Labyrinth besides help lost people?" Crystal asks.  
"I watch over Jareth's gardens. Actually, anymore, I just hang around. Jareth hasn't called me to work on his plants in a long time. He's been really depressed lately."  
"Yeah. What's up with him anyway? How come he's so rigid and evil?"  
"Well, from what I hear, he wasn't always this way. They say he became the way he is when his wife died."  
"How did she die?"  
"She died soon after their first and only child was born. After she was gone, Jareth didn't want to keep the child because it reminded him too much of his wife."  
"What did he do with the baby?"  
"No one is too sure. Most say that he went to Earth and left the baby in an orphanage."  
"Wow. I feel sorry for that kid. I know what it's like to be dumped by your parents."  
"Why? Are you an orphan?"  
"I was orphaned at a very young age. My parents didn't want to keep me, so they left me on the steps of an orphanage."  
"I'm so sorry." Reeves says, looking deep into Crystals eyes.  
"It's okay." Crystal says looking down at the ground.  
The two stop for a brief moment to look how far they have gotten. The only thing between them and the huge city is a tremendous forest that stretches for miles. They look at each other for a brief second, and then continue on.

Chapter 4

  
Jareth sits on his throne and looks at his surroundings. What he sees disturbs him. Everywhere he looks, he sees his dirty servants and his bare castle. He remembers back to a time when these surroundings were warm and inviting, with flowers and color. Now, everything seems cold, dreary, and lifeless. He sighs and gets up from his throne. He goes into his chambers and holds out his palm. A crystal appears. Jareth sits down on his bed and looks into the crystal. He sees Crystal walking down a path. Next to her, he sees a young man. His eyes widen. He realizes that this man is Reeves, his young gardener. Immediately, he jumps up and vanishes into thin air.  
**********************************************************  
  
Crystal and Reeves are now entering the dense forest. As they walk down the path into the wood, they both hear a commotion in the trees.   
"Just keep walking, Crystal. It's probably just a small mouse."  
"Are you sure? That sounds like a mighty big mouse to me." She says as she stares back to where the noise is coming from.  
All of a sudden, a bright light blinds the two. They hold up their hands to their eyes. Soon, the light vanishes and they are staring into the angry face of Jareth.  
"Sire!" Reeves squeaks.  
"Why hello Reeves." Jareth smirks.  
"I, um…"  
"Reeves…how many times have I told you not to roam my Labyrinth. You should be at the castle working on my garden…it's awfully bare."  
"Yeah, right." Reeves mutters under his breath.  
Jareth's eyes widen in anger.  
"I've also told you never to help people who are looking for the door."  
"I'm sorry, sire. I was just keeping her company."  
"She doesn't need your company." Jareth says gritting his teeth. He regains himself and continues,  
"You are not to help this girl any further. If I see you with her again, I will punish you in ways unthinkable."  
"Yes, sire." Reeves says looking to the ground.  
Jareth looks away from Reeves and to Crystal who is standing with a nervous expression on her face.  
"So, my dear. How are you enjoying my kingdom so far."  
"It's wonderful." She says sarcastically.  
"I know. It seems you've made some progress since we last talked. Just remember, you still have to go through this forest before you get to the city. I'd beware of all the creatures that roam here…they don't have much to eat."  
"I'll be sure to watch out."  
"Well then, I guess I can go now. Reeves, you better get out of here soon." Jareth warns. Before he leaves, he looks Crystal deep in the eyes.  
"And I'll be watching you." He says coldly.  
He vanishes and Crystal shivers. She looks over at Reeves who looks as though he is about to cry.  
"What's the matter?" She asks as she goes over to him.  
"I hate Jareth so much. He knows it too. I'm still going to try and help you."  
"You don't need to risk your life for me."  
"I don't care…I want to help you." He smiles.  
Crystal smiles back. Then, the two continue on down the dusty path, together.

Chapter 5

  
The day progresses on as Crystal and Reeves walk deeper into the dense forest. Pretty soon, dusk begins to fall.  
"Great, it's already getting dark." Crystal mutters.  
"We'll have to find some place to stay for the night. It can get very dangerous out here."  
"I guess I can afford to rest for a few hours."  
The two look around for a place to stay, and eventually they find a safe-looking clearing.  
"We can stay here. I'm sure nothing will come bother us." Reeves says.  
"Whatever you say. I don't think I'm going to get much sleep, though."  
"You get your rest, Crystal. I'll stay awake tonight."  
"Okay…thanks." She says, looking at him sincerely.  
She gets up and walks over to a little stream near the clearing. The water is as pure as crystal and trickles softly like rain. She looks up above the trees and sees the sun dipping lower in the sky. Looking straight above her, she sees the waning crescent moon already present in the sky. A feeling of serenity overcomes her. She looks at the sky for what seems like an eternity. Then, she walks back to the clearing.  
*************************************************************************  
  
Jareth is sitting on his window sill, overlooking the darkening Labyrinth. He can make out a small flicker of fire in the dense woods. He knows that that is Crystal, settling down for the night. He looks up at the sky and at the moon. He thinks about his life and how miserable he is. He realizes that what's missing is love and companionship. Suddenly, a strong urge overcomes him. He hold out his palm and a crystal emerges. He sends the crystal out into the night. It slowly floats over to the flickering light of the fire in the woods.   
  
*************************************************************************  
  
Crystal and Reeves are now sitting around a fire they have made, warming themselves and having something to eat. Reeves smiles over at Crystal. She smiles back at him.  
"I'm really glad I met you." He says.  
"You've really helped me. I don't know how I ever can repay you."  
"My services are free. I know how mean Jareth is, so I'll do anything to go against him."  
The two sit and stare at each other for a moment. Then they slowly drift closer together. Their lips meet. As they kiss, a small bubble pops over the food Crystal had been eating. Crystal and Reeves back away from each other slowly and smile. Then, Crystal reaches for her food. She takes a small bite. Suddenly, a wave of nausea comes over her.   
"What's the matter?" Reeves says, noticing that Crystal suddenly looks ill.  
"I don't feel too good."  
"That kiss really shook you up too, huh?" Reeves says smiling.  
"No…it's that food I ate."  
Reeves examines her food. He notices a small silver tint to it. Suddenly, panic hits him. He looks over at Crystal who's eyes are slowly closing.   
"Something's not right here…everything is getting dark." She whispers.  
As soon as these words escape her lips, she crumbles to the ground and disappears.

Chapter 6

  
Crystal slowly opens her eyes. What she sees surprises her. She sees a multitude of colors flashing past her. She looks down and realizes she is flying. Suddenly, she lands on a hard surface. Lifting her head slowly, she realizes that she is no longer in the dense forest of the Labyrinth, but in a populated city. She gets up and walks over to the nearest building she can find.  
As she walks into the building, she is greeted by loud, pulsing music. She realizes that she is in a dance club of sorts. As soon as she is fully in the room, a slow song begins. The lyrics of the song haunt her as she wanders the floor. Many men come up to her and ask her to dance, but she refuses. She searches the room for a familiar face. All of a sudden, she sees a handsome man looking at her. Turning away she blushes. The man walks over to her.  
"May I have this dance." He asks.  
"Sure." She stammers.  
The two sway to the music. A feeling of love sweeps over Crystal and she looks up at the handsome man. The man is looking down at her with admiration on his face. He smiles and begins talking to her.  
"I know you won't remember what happened here too well…nor should you."  
Crystal only nods, obviously not understanding. The man continues.  
"I hope you don't think I hate you by what I'm making you go through. It's just my duty. The truth is, I admire you very much. I have been watching your progress all day long. You have a very strong will."  
The man smiles gently down at Crystal. She looks up at him with bewilderment; like a small child looking at his or her parents. The man leans closer to her. Their lips meet for a brief second. Yet, in that one second, she is shocked with a totally new feeling. The man is shocked with the very same feeling, and the two abruptly part. Crystal is now back to reality, and she realizes exactly who she is dancing with.  
"Oh my gosh!" She gasps.  
"Crystal, wait!" Jareth pleas.  
"Let me go…now!" Crystal says trying to break free from him.  
"Let me explain!"  
"What's there to explain…you're taking advantage of me!" She bellows.  
The entire dance club goes silent and all the people are now looking at Crystal and Jareth. Both look around, embarrassed.  
"I didn't mean to hurt you…"Jareth stammers.  
"Yeah right! Let me go or else I'm gonna hurt you."  
"Don't you understand?! Didn't you realize it too?! Jareth bellows in misery.  
"No! All I realized was that you are a creep!" With this, she kicks Jareth in the shins as hard as she can. He winces in pain and lets go of her. She runs out into the street. Behind her, she heard Jareth calling her. She looks back and sees him running behind her. She rounds a corner and keeps running. Suddenly, she runs into a clear wall. Frantically, she hits the wall with all her might. It doesn't shatter. She picks up a rock off the street and throws it at the wall. She hears Jareth coming up behind her. The wall shatters.  
"No!!" Jareth screams.  
Crystal looks beneath her and sees the dense forest. The ground gets nearer, and Crystal closes her eyes, ready for the life-taking impact. After a minute, she opens her eyes. The ground is nowhere to be seen. All that she sees is darkness with a small flicker of light in the distance. In the light she sees a silhouette of a man. She squints hard to make out who it is. But she is too slow. The light fades and she is left in total darkness. 

  
Chapter 7

  
Crystal feels someone shaking her. She opens up her eyes and finds herself staring into the warm face of Reeves.   
"Are you okay?"  
"Uh, yeah. I guess so."  
"I was afraid you'd never wake up."  
"How long did I leave you alone?"  
"You vanished for a second, but then you suddenly reappeared."  
"Really? I wasn't gone for hours?"  
"No. You passed out about five minutes ago."  
"Oh."  
"Why…where do you think you went?"  
"I was in this dance club…dancing with Jareth. He kissed me and then I tried to get away from him…"  
Reeves looks out into the night. The expression on his is cold.  
"What?" Crystal asks.  
"He does that to unsuspecting girls. I can't believe he did it to you, though. Did he say anything to you?"  
"After I realized who he was, he told me that I didn't understand something."  
Reeves gives Crystal a puzzled look. Then he speaks.  
"He's never said that to anyone before…usually he tells the girl how much he depends on her and stuff like that."  
"He didn't say anything like that to me."  
"Oh well. At least you're okay. Now try and get some rest."  
"Okay. Goodnight, Reeves."  
"Goodnight, Crystal."  
Crystal then lays herself down on some leaves and falls asleep. Throughout the night, she is plagued by dreams of a little girl and a tall man resembling Jareth. In the middle of the night she wakes up and stares around. A notion hits her. She ponders it for a second, shrugs it off, and falls back asleep.  
**********************************************************  
Meanwhile, Jareth paces restlessly around his chamber.   
"How could I have been so oblivious?" He says to himself aloud.  
He goes to his window and lets the fresh air tap his face. He gazes out to the forest where Crystal lay sleeping. He sighs.  
"Crystal," he whispers, "I hope you will forgive me…"  
Jareth lets out a sigh and walks over to his bed. He lays down and stares out into space. Lassitude soon comes over him, and he slowly nods off.

Chapter 8

  
As the sun begins to dawn on the horizon, a tired Crystal yawns and opens her eyes. She looks over at Reeves who is also awake. The two smile at each other.  
"Did you sleep okay?" Reeves asks.  
"I had a couple of bad dreams, but I managed to sleep a little."  
"That's good." Reeves says and he gets up, yawns, and stretches.  
Crystal slowly gets up as well. She straightens out her clothes and fixes her hair. Reeves approaches her.  
"So, are you ready to continue?"  
"Yes."  
"How much time do we have left?"  
Crystal glances at her watch. It reads 7:45 AM.   
"About 12 hours."  
"We'd better get going. 12 hours is cutting it very close."  
Crystal nods and then the two continue on their journey. They spend hours trying to find ways out of the forest. Five hours pass and finally they see the forest beginning to clear. Looming ahead of them is Jared's city. It looks very much like a European city; having old and new houses among each other. As the two walk through the city gates, they are greeted by the bustle of city-life. The air smells of fresh baked muffins, and everywhere they look, there are people greeting each other.  
"Wow! This city is so neat!" Crystal marvels.  
"It's probably the best part of the kingdom. But don't let the beauty take you over…this is the hardest part of your journey."  
"Yeah, whatever you say."  
The two continue to venture the busy streets. Little do they know as the walk on, they are being watched.  
**********************************************************************************  
  
"Sire! Sire"   
"What is it now?" Jareth moans.  
"The girl and the gardener are in the city!"  
"I already have knowledge of that." Jareth says, unamused.  
"What should we do?!" The servant squeals.  
"Absolutely nothing. Leave everything to me."  
The servant gives Jareth a quizzical look.   
"As you wish, sire." He says with a shrug.   
After the servant has left the room, Jareth goes over to his window and looks out at the town below him. He sees Crystal and Reeves nearing his castle. Smiling to himself, he walks out of the room and down the corridor.   
  
************************************************************************************  
  
The steps of the castle loom in front of Crystal and Reeves.   
"I can't believe how quickly we made it through the city!" Crystal says triumphantly.  
"It was easy, wasn't it." He says. "It was almost too easy." He murmurs.  
"Well, come on then! Let's get inside and find that door!" Crystal says running up the steps like a young child running to his mother. Seeing that Reeves hasn't budged, she stops and stares at him.  
"Come on!"  
"No. I can't go with you." He says gravely.  
"Oh come on! You've come this far with me!"  
"Look, Jareth will punish me if he catches me with you. You have to finish the rest for yourself."  
Crystal's eyes burn at him.  
"I thought you cared about me!" She yells.  
"I do care! I care more than you know!"  
"It doesn't seem like it."  
"Look, you'll understand later. Now go on. I'll be praying for you."  
"Okay. I guess this is good-bye."  
A sincere look overcomes Reeves face. He runs up the steps to Crystal.  
"Don't ever forget me." He whispers in her ear.  
"I won't, Reeves. You've helped me more that you'll ever know!"  
With those words, she leans over and kisses him on the lips. He returns the kiss and wraps his arms around her. Then, he pushes her to the door.  
"Good luck!" He calls.  
Crystal approaches the huge door. She tries to turn the doorknob but finds it is locked. Dismayed, she knocks. Nothing happens. Frustrated, she knocks again. This time the door opens. Crystal looks back at Reeves and waves one last time. Then, she heads in.

  
Chapter 9

  
Crystal enters into a large hall. The hall has resemblance to a large church with high ceilings. She begins to take note of her surroundings. To the left of her is a large door leading to a parlor room. To the right is a staircase. In front of her is another room resembling a living room. She ponders which way to go in search of the door. Eventually, she decides that the door must be upstairs. She goes over to the staircase and begins to run up it. When she reaches the top, she stops abruptly. Looking at her are many of Jareth's servants. They question her presence and then go back to their duties. She asks one where the door would be. The servant ignores her and continues on its way. For the next ten minutes she attempts to question the servants about where the door is. All of them ignore her, and soon she is enraged. Finally, she can't stand it anymore.  
"WHY WON'T ANYONE TELL ME WHERE THE STUPID DOOR IS?!" She bellows.  
A person taps her shoulder. She spins around and sees Jareth looking down at her.  
"Because I told them not to help you. Does that answer your question?" He says calmly.  
"Yes it does. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a door to find." Crystal says walking away.  
"You're not finding anything." Jareth says after her.  
Crystal spins around.  
"Huh? What do you mean."  
"You don't even know what the door looks like. How do you even know it is a door you're looking for?" He asks.  
"Because you told me."  
"Do you take everything at face value? The 'door' could symbolize many things."  
"Like what?"  
"Anything…"  
"That's not much help." Crystal frowns.  
Jareth sighs. He beckons Crystal to come closer. As soon as she's right next to him, he shows her a crystal.  
"Look in here. What do you see."  
"I see a little baby girl."  
"Very good. Now your task is to find this child. And then I want you to bring her to me."  
"Okay. So can I go."  
"Yes. If you need to find me, I'll be in my chambers over there." He says, gesturing to a large door.  
Jareth walks away and goes into his room. Crystal watches him as he goes. She notices that Jareth seems more tired that she had seen him before. She sighs and walks down the corridor. As she walks, she examines everything. Everywhere she looks, she sees pictures of a beautiful young lady. Crystal stops to examine a picture. The woman has large, passionate eyes and a very contoured face. Right next to the picture is a mirror. Crystal looks at her reflection. She sees the same face as in the picture. Her eyes widen and she rapidly looks from the picture to the mirror and back.   
"The woman in that picture looks like me!" She stammers.  
She bites her lip in thought. Suddenly, a strange notion hits her. She had seen a baby in Jareth's crystal ball. Could the woman in the picture have something to do with the baby? She summons her thoughts, grabs the picture, and runs to Jareth's chambers. She knocks and opens the door quietly. Peeking in the room, she sees Jareth sitting on his windowsill, overlooking the land. She enters. Without turning around, Jareth says,  
"So, have you found the child?"  
"I think I just might have."

Chapter 10

  
Jareth turns around and looks at Crystal bluntly.   
"So, have you finally figured everything out?"  
"Um…not quite. I have a small question."  
Jareth sighs.  
"I've made this so easy for you. I was sure you would have figured everything out by now."  
"Easy! You call all this easy?!"  
"Extremely easy. Anyway, what is it that you want then?" He says returning his gaze to the Labyrinth.  
"I was wondering who the woman in this picture is?" She says holding out the picture. Jareth grabs it and his eyes widen.  
"Where did you find this?"  
"Out in the corridor."  
Jareth throws the picture to the ground and the glass cover shatters into a million pieces. He then looks at Crystal coldly.  
"Don't you know it's rude to tamper with peoples things?!" He says with rage.  
"Tamper with it? All I did was look at it and then bring it here! Why are you getting angry?! Who is this woman?"  
"You want to know who this woman is?!" Jareth says, looking as though he could blow up any second.  
"Yes I do! I want to know who she is and why she looks like me!"  
Jareth lowers his head and sighs. He murmurs something that Crystal can't make out. Then, he slowly raises his head.   
"This woman was my wife." He says, holding back a tear.  
"Oh. I heard about--."  
"Heard about what?" Jareth snaps.  
"I heard that she died."  
Jared looks at her with a resentful glance.  
"You heard right. She died almost twenty years ago."  
"I'm so sorry." Crystal says.  
Jareth stares back out to his vast kingdom, ignoring Crystal. She looks at him with sad eyes and then looks around his room. Over his bed is a beautiful mural of a baby and a woman. The woman is his wife, and the baby resembles the one she had viewed in the crystal earlier. Then words Reeves and Jareth had told her echo through her mind.  
'She died soon after the birth of their first child…took the baby to an orphanage…she died almost twenty years ago.'  
Everything suddenly makes sense to Crystal. Wanting to be sure of her assumption, she taps Jareth on the shoulder. He turns around and she hugs him. He holds onto her and then pushes her away gently.  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I wanted you to learn for yourself."  
"So I was 'the child' who symbolized 'the door'? The door to what?"  
"After I abandoned you on Earth, I knew that both you and I would suffer forever because of what I did. And we have, haven't we?"  
Crystal nods.  
"Well, after I kissed you at the dance club, I realized that you were my daughter. I knew that I had to change the game for you then. I made you become 'the door'. The door to happiness. And now you've opened up the door for us."  
Crystal smiles and sits besides Jareth on the windowsill. Jareth tells her the whole story of how she was born and the circumstances for why he left her on Earth. After he has concluded, they embrace and accept the truth.  
**********************************************************

Epilogue

  
Later that day, Crystal makes the decision that she'd rather live in Jareth's kingdom than go back to earth. This decision makes Jareth overjoyed, and he promises Crystal whatever she wants from him as a father. Later in the day, there is a grand feast in honor of the father and daughter. All people of the city are invited. Crystal is surprised when she sees Reeves.  
"Reeves!" She calls out to him.  
"Crystal!" He says running to her.  
He picks her up and they kiss passionately. Then, she tells Reeves about everything that had happened after they had parted. After she tells him of her decision to stay in Jareth's kingdom forever, he smiles.  
"I guess it isn't good-bye after all."   
"I guess not." She smiles.  
Crystal and Reeves walk over to Jareth.   
"I see you two have become good friends." Jared says with a smile.  
"Yes, we have." Crystal says looking over at Reeves.  
"So I guess I can be around her now?" Reeves asks Jareth timidly.  
Jareth throws back his head and laughs.  
"Of course you can!" He chuckles, "But I'll still be keeping my eye on you two."  
Reeves blushes and Crystal puts her arm over his shoulder.  
"We're gonna go outside for a while." She tells Jareth.  
"Okay. Go on then!" He says shooing them away.  
They walk out of the room and out onto the balcony. Jareth watches his daughter walk away and smiles. When Reeves and Crystal are out on the balcony, they look out over the wondrous land.  
"Aren't you glad your step-brother wished you away?"  
"Yeah, I really am. I guess he's not such a brat after all."  
The two laugh. Reeves puts his arm around Crystal, and the two watch the moon rise over their home.

THE END


End file.
